After finishing my master’s program, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to present research at a large psychology conference. I was in the middle of the peer review process and was researching in a relatively unexplored area and had no idea if anyone would be interested in my topic. After my presentation I had a line of people waiting to speak with me, certainly a surprise. One was the dean of a large school and she simply asked me, “where do you teach.” I had spoken to some schools about teaching, but the reality is that it is almost impossible to teach at a school without a doctorate. I told her that I was working as a Licensed Professional Counselor. She shook her head and said, “Really! You’re so much better than that.”
I tell you this story so that you understand there is a divide in the world of psychology. Researchers and teachers frown on clinicians. Counselors look down on psychologists. Quantitative researchers heckle qualitative researchers, and the list goes on. In the world of psychology, I am a mutt. I love research. I have been active in research since my first undergraduate class on the subject. I am a particularly skilled quantitative researcher with a good understanding of statistics. I am also a clinician. I have been working as a counselor since 2014 and wouldn’t give it up for the world. I am skilled in assessments. I love giving people tests and helping them better understand themselves. Currently, I am training as an Industrial Organizational Psychologist. Basically, I’m becoming an expert in the psychology of business. The world of psychology tells me that I need to pick one of these things and stick with it. Fat chance.
The purpose of this blog, and indeed this website is to provide you with value. I don’t know you and what your needs are, so delivering value is quite a challenge. I’ll be talking a lot about business and mental health in business, because it is my specialty. This includes topics like leadership, executive coaching, and the application of psychology to business. I’ll also be covering mental health issues like depression, addiction, and narcissism. The most important question I want to answer for you is, “How do I improve?” Whether it be in your business or personal life, I want to help you move forward. If you want to speak with me personally, you can schedule a free phone consultation. Thanks for reading! Keep moving forward.
Ian Mudge M.A., L.P.C.